After working to ensure that the City of Los Angeles' 2010 Bicycle Plan included corridors utilized by low-income bicycle users, City of Lights partnered with the Bus Riders Union, CARECEN, and the Korean Workers Center to campaign for the installation of a bike lane on 7th Street through MacArthur Park. We believed that the best way for the plan to be equitable was to prioritize implementation in communities like MacArthur Park.

The campaign culminated in a press conference with then-Councilmember Ed Reyes (CD-1) on September 7, 2011. For the press release, Reyes commented that, "By eliminating a car lane in favor of a bike lane we, as a city, are solidifying our commitment to the bicycle as not only a recreational vehicle, but as a legitimate form of daily transportation. That is what is most significant about today's announcement."

7th Street bike lane campaign video featuring CoL's José Guzmán Flores

Advocates and city staff attend press conference on 9.8.2011

There are many ways that an individual's immigration status enables or disables their mobility. This could take the form of anxiety they carry as they move through the city and fear arrest; it could take the form of them losing access to higher education in the only home they have ever known. In February 2011, City of Lights partnered with DACA youth to support the "L.A. to O.C. Dream Ride," an event that raised awareness about upcoming policy actions.

The ride connected the Orange County Dream Team and Dream Team L.A. as the group rode from Corazón del Pueblo in Boyle Heights to El Centro Cultural de México in Santa Ana on February 20. The Orange County Register covered the ride, which included DREAMers and local supporters. 

An invaluable outcome of this ride for City of Lights was forming a relationship with artist and writer Erick Huerta, El Random Hero, who went on to become a core member of the MCM programs team.